Babb warns Black Cats to ‘cut cloth accordingly’ amid hunt for play-offs
FORMER CATS DEFENDER HAS TOLD THE CLUB ‘TO SETTLE AND STABILISE’
FORMER Sunderland defender Phil Babb has warned the North East giants to keep it real and to “cut their cloth accordingly.”
The 53-year-old, who spent two years with the Black Cats from 2002, reckons the club has no divine right to expect promotion for a second year and should focus on establishing themselves back in the Championship first.
Speaking to Gambling.com, Babb, who also enjoyed a six-year spell at Liverpool, gave his opinion on the current situation at Sunderland, where Michael Beale was sacked last Monday.
He thinks the club might be thinking they are bigger than they are at this moment in time, given the recent history of four years in League One prior to last season.
“It’s a difficult one,” he said, ahead of today’s home clash with Swansea City in the Championship.
“I can’t say delusions of grandeur, but I think promotion has got them wanting to challenge again.
“But come on guys, you’ve been in League One for a fairly long time, you are out now – cut your cloth accordingly.
“Settle down and just stabilise, have a good run in the Championship, maybe have a sniff of the play-offs, but if not, then next year you would look at that [promotion]. Just consolidate yourself in a very, very tough league.”
On the Beale dismissal he added: “For him to go after such a short period of time, and that’s two appointments now, maybe he was just the wrong man for the job.
“But, it is a fantastic opportunity for someone to take on. It’s a great stadium, great fans, with bags and bags of potential. I’m not one for trigger-happy owners, who get rid of managers so quickly. “But, he has only won a handful of games in quite a few, so it’s just not enough for a club of that size.” Beale was not liked by the Sunderland supporters and they were openly chanting for him to be sacked after just a few weeks in the role.
They didn’t agree with the sacking of Tony Mowbray and Beale was well down the list of managers they were happy with.
His appointment riled the fans and has obviously been viewed as a mistake by the club’s board since, given the speed of Beale’s exit from the club.
On how important it is for managers to build a rapport with fans, Babb continued: “It’s absolutely vital [to be liked by the fans]. If you ain’t got the fans the first thing they are going to do is chant your name and out.
“Eventually, the board does listen. So to not be engaged with the fans as a manager is probably one of the worst things you can do.”
Come on, you’ve been in League One for a fairly long time, you are out now - cut your cloth accordingly Phil Babb